'Centre to bear expenses for phase 1 of Covid vaccination': PM Modi
After a review meeting with states, PM Modi said that the country's scientists and medical experts have taken all precautions to provide our citizens with effective vaccines. He also directed state authorities to control rumours regarding vaccination.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Centre will bear the expenses for the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination, which will begin on January 16.
"Centre, not states, will bear expenses for first-phase vaccination of three crore corona warriors and frontline workers," PM Modi said after a meeting with chief ministers where he discussed the Covid-19 situation in states and preparedness for the vaccination programme.
ALSO WATCH | 'India ready to save humanity with 2 vaccines': PM Modi on Covid, self-reliance
The Prime Minister said that health workers - government as well as private - sanitation workers, other frontline workers, defence forces, police and other paramilitary forces will be vaccinated in the first phase.
"In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated," he added.
After the review meeting, PM Modi said that the country's scientists and medical experts have taken all precautions to provide our citizens with effective vaccines. He also urged the citizens of the country to keep taking precautions even after vaccine has been taken.
India's drugs regulator recently approved two vaccines - Oxford-AztraZeneca's Covishield and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech - for restricted emergency use in the country. On Saturday last week, PM Modi had reviewed the status of Covid-19 and vaccine preparedness across states and union territories at a high-level meeting.
Today, he said that the two approved vaccines more cost-effective than foreign vaccines "and have been developed as per our needs".
"Only about 2.5 crore people vaccinated globally so far; we have to achieve vaccination of 30 crore citizens in next few months," the Prime Minister added.
He also directed state authorities to ensure no rumours regarding vaccination get spread. "Social, religious groups need to be involved in this," PM Modi said.
India has completed vaccination dry runs in almost every district, which is a massive achievement, the Prime Minister said in his address.
